Method of and apparatus for multi-galley composition

ABSTRACT

In a photocomposition machine environment the apparatus and method show the concept of advancing the photosensitive material into position normally occupied for composition of text. The known apparatus and method are then modified by providing reverse leading for the paper and re-advance to the starting point followed by composition of a second column lateral to and aligned with the first column. A particular advance in the art is the ability to compose a complex mathematical formula with greatly simplified software using the improved hardware. 
     The point of reference is established by a sensor which is activated upon advance of the paper to the sensor and therefore reversal and re-advancement of the paper will cause an exact repositioning of the paper for each column.

.Iadd.This application is a reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,699, filedJune 25, 1974 and issued Sept. 16, 1975. .Iaddend.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the printing art, type was composed in a galley and a galley proofprinted for inspection. Changes in composition, spacing, or otherimprovements could then be accomplished prior to transferring the settype to the press.

Various means for making use of hand-set type have been developed, andmachines were perfected for casting lead in response to an operatoractuated keyboard.

With the advent of modern lithographic printing equipment, thephotographic process became the means for producing a printing masterfor large-scale printing, and a direct impression master typed on anoffice typewriter became the common vehicle for less sophisticated butmore rapid composition.

The VariTyper brand strike-on cold type machine was developed to providetyped source material but with the lines justified in the manner of settype. This "cold type" is then produced as lithographic masters byphotographic techniques.

A more recent development is the photocomposition technique. A source offont, usually a revolving disc of characters in a photographic negativeformat, is projected within a light-tight environment uponphotosensitive high-speed paper.

The photocomposing machine is capable of projecting columns of any widthfrom one word up to the maximum width of the paper. Maximum width isestablished by the practical optics which can project from the revolvingdisc, or the practical distance that the disc can be transported withinthe housing.

However, not always is a column of the maximum width desired. Therefore,the composer very often will produce long narrow columns and waste thebalance of the paper. Then, the column is physically cut into properuseful length and pasted onto a backing sheet in order to produce amulti-column galley.

In order to assure optically pleasing alignment, a rule is used toestablish the second and further columns in alignment with the firstcolumn when such paste-up technique is used.

Mathematical formulas are a very difficult composition problem in knownphotocomposition machines.

There are three teaching examples given: (1) A strike-on typing machine;(2) A known photocomposer; and finally, an example (3) using the newstructure of this invention. Note that in each example the instructionsleave space for the unique symbols such as the integration sign ∫. Thesesymbols must be by some other means, such as hand artistry, or transferlettering unless a specific symbol matrix and large print capability isavailable.

EXAMPLE 1

An actual composition problem is set forth below which has been set fora printed publication using a strike-on typing machine, and transferletters of the type carried on a release backing and rubbed through thepaper to cause transfer. This latter portion is for complex Greek letterforms. There are a total of 51 specific instructions to the typist forcomposing this entire formula. However, in order to simplify theillustration, only the first 13 instructions dealing with the first lineof the formulas are set forth below the formula. The balance of theformula requires the balance of instructions 14 through 51 and issimilar in nature to those reproduced: ##EQU1## 1. From the last line oftext, lead 44 points to baseline of the first equation.

2. Reverse lead 26 points (after setting R' =) and set the top limit ofthe summation.

3. Backspace to the first character of the top limit.

4. Lead down 19 points, set the bottom limit (which should be centeredon the summation).

5. Reverse lead 10 points, set the balance of the numerator of thefraction.

6. Backspace to the beginning of the fraction.

7. Lead down 24 points to set the top limit of the summation in thedenominator.

8. Backspace to the first character of the limit.

9. Lead down 19 points to the bottom limit of the summation; centerlimit on the summation.

10. Reverse lead 10 points and set the balance of the denominator.

11. Backspace to the beginning of the fraction.

12. Reverse lead 16 points to baseline and type the fraction bar.

13. Type the balance of the first line of the equation-reverse lead 4points for superscripts, lead down 2 points for subscripts.

The author of the work in which the above formula appears stated that acomputer program is impractical for the typical compositor in thatprogram and the computer can never be made as versatile as a humanoperator except possibly at a very unrealistically high price.Consequently, the compositor indicated that he prefers to have humanoperators set this work.

Notice the number of times the operator must lead backward and forwardin order to set the complex formula. It can then be envisioned howdifficult the problem would be if the compositor did attempt to write asoftware program for a photocomposing machine which did not have thecapability of reverse leading of the type set forth hereinafter. In thatcase, the entire job would have to be composed from the top line down.Again, considering only the first line of the formula, if it were to beset on a phototypesetter without the reverse leading capability, theinstruction would be substantially in this manner:

A word of explanation of the commands used appears to be in order. Thesecommands appear in the text of this and the next instruction set. Theirmeaning is set forth in this glossary:

A. [No Flash] - The "no flash" command means that characters typed orentered following the command will result in spacing movement of thephototypesetter, but no actual imaging or flashing of the character.This function is used to provide the right amount of spacing orescapement when the actual widths of the characters in question are notknown.

B. [Flash] - The "flash" command re-enables the normal flashing orexposure function in the phototypesetter. Characters entered followingthe flash command are exposed and cause character escapement.

C. [Return] - The "return" command has the same function as the carriagereturn key on a typewriter. It reinitializes the typesetting processback to its left hand margin on the left-hand-most edge of the presenttab or indent.

D. [Zero Width] - The "zero width" command basically indicates that thesingle character following the command is to be flashed or exposed, butno character escapement takes place. If the command is given and twocharacters are then selected, the first character will be exposed withno width, meaning the typesetter will do no escapement or spacing. Thesecond character is subsequently superimposed over the first. The secondcharacter spaces or escapes normally.

EXAMPLE 2

1. set left margin at an indent value corresponding to the beginning ofthe first character in the equation.

2. Lead down 18 points.

3. Type [No Flash][R'=][Flash][N-1].

4. lead down 5 points.

5. Type [No Flash][&{ |e(p)][Flash][2][Return].

6. Lead down 4 points.

7. Type [No Flash][R=N-1][Flash][&{|e(p)][NoFlash][2][Flash][}][Return].

8. Lead down 10 points.

9. Type [No Flash][R'=][Flash][p=ο].

10. Lead down 3 points.

11. Type [No Flash][&{|e(p)|² }=σ][Flash][2][No Flash][2(m-1) +σ][Flash][2][No Flash][σ][Flash][2][Return].

12. Lead down 4 points.

13. Type [R'=][No Flash][N-1 & {|e(p)² }][Flash][σ][NoFlash][2][Flash][2(m-1)+σ][No Flash][2][Flash][σ][No Flash][2][Flash][+C][No Flash][k][Flash][ (m+ 2)dudτ][Return].

14. Lead down 2 points.

15. Type [No Flash][R' = N-1 &{|e(p)² }=σ][Flash][ Σ][No Flash][2(m-1)+σ][Flash][ο][No Flash][σ][Flash][Σ][No Flash][+C][Flash][k][Return].

16. Lead down 5 points.

17. Type [No Flash][R'=][Flash][N- 1].

18. lead down 5 points.

19. Type [No Flash][&{|i(s)|][Flash][2][Return].

20. Lead down 4 points.

21. Type [No Flash][R'=N-1][Flash]|*{|i(s)|][NoFlash][2][Flash][}][Return].

22. Lead down 10 points.

23. Type [No Flash][R'=][Flash][p=o][Return].

Proceed with remainder of equation.

Reference to the Example 2 shows that a great deal of repetitive typingof characters for spacing alone is required, when the reverse leadingcapability is not present. Following the steps of Example 2 will showthat it is rather confusing and requires a great deal of pre-planning inorder to properly enter the characters starting with those set on thehighest baselines.

In a similar manner, the instructions would be required in order to workthrough the remainder of the equation and are very complex. In fact,trial and error is probably necessary and the instructions willordinarily require revision to get the proper spacing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The advantage and object of this invention is to compose multiplecolumns upon the photosensitive paper in alignment with one anotherwithin the machine at one setting and thereby to avoid the necessity forcut and paste techniques.

Another object of the invention is to provide within the compositionmachine, a paper-handing system whereby the paper is advanced andretracted repeatedly to an exact starting place in order that successivecolumn composition may be accomplished with each column in perfectalignment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a photocomposition systemembodying the apparatus of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the paper-handling apparatus inschematic outline.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a paper sensing system according to thisinvention.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Photocomposition machines and processes are sufficiently well-known thatthe first figure of the drawing is set forth only in schematicarrangement and will properly illustrate the principles of theinvention.

A photocomposition system is depicted by a disc 10 of conventionalstructure which bears a circular path of characters near the peripheraledge of the disc. The disc is rotated by a motor 11 at a uniform speed,related to the magnification ration of the image on the disc to theprojected image to be reproduced.

A projection means is illustrated symbolically by a flash tube symbol 12and a lens symbol 13. Such a photocomposing system and projecting meanswill entail the necessary transport and control systems which arewell-known and therefore need not be set forth in detail.

This invention is embodied in a general photocomposition machine by apaper feed magazine 15. Although the magazine is set forth in schematicillustration in the drawing, one such magazine in wide use isillustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,945. The interior of compositionmachines is light-tight, because the photosensitive paper web used forthe recording media is extremely sensitive, and a small portion thereofis exposed to the interior of the machine during the compositionexposure. In the drawing herein, there is no attempt to show the detailsof the magazine construction such as illustrated in the referencedUnited States patent above.

In the magazine, a set of rolls 18 and 19 are used as a drive rollcouple. They are in contact and one roll only is driven. The other rollis an idler.

A stepper motor 21 is employed as the power drive source for this paperfeed roll set used for advancing a photosensitive sheet. The steppermotor drives the roll 18 by means of a pinion 22 carried by the motorshaft. .[.Pinion 22 operates a gear 23. Gear 23 drives a one-say clutch24 which, in turn, drives the roll 18. One-way clutch 24 will permitadvance drive only. If the motor 21 is reversed, the clutch 24 will notproduce reverse drive force on the roll 18..].

.[.A gear 26 directly driven by gear 23 in turn is connected to drive apinion 27. Pinion 27 operates through a spring friction slip clutch 28to drive a reverse set of rolls 29..].

.[.Because of the arrangement of the pinions and gears, the set 29 isalways urging a reverse drive of a web sheet passing through themagazine, but the spring friction clutch will allow a sheet driven byrolls 18 and 19 to advance against the reverse drive force. Such reversedrive assures a very tight, smooth section of paper web between theadvance drive rolls and the reverse roll set 29. Threading of the paperweb is accomplished by.]. .Iadd.Gear 23 drives roll 18 up and down insteps determined by motor 21. Motor 21 steps to rotate pinion 22clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, which turns roll 18 counterclockwise todrive the paper web in an advance direction.

A one-way clutch 24 is carried on the shaft of roll 18. The clutch isdesigned to impart drive force to pinion 26 only when motor 21 isreversed to drive roll 18 in a web retraction direction.

Pinion 27 is journaled on the shaft of roll 29, and has a friction driveconnection to the shaft through slip clutch 28. (See FIG. 4.)

In operation, with motor 21 in advance mode, roll 29, pinion 27, andpinion 26 turn freely under drive of the paper web, upon roll 29. Thisis an idle following.

When motor 21 is reversed to retract mode, clutch 24 will drive pinion26 as well as roll 18. Because pinion 26 is larger than the pinion 27,there will be an urge to drive roll 29 at a feed rate greater than thereverse feed of roll 18. The slip clutch 28 will permit pinion 27 toturn at the greater speed and deliver rotational drive only to thedegree permitted by roll 18. Therefore, precision matching of piniongears is unnecessary.

Threading of the paper web is accomplished by .Iaddend.mounting theidler rolls on a pivot carriage to swing them aside during loading. SeeU.S. Pat. No. 3,724,945.

An edge sensor 30 is positioned along the side of the path establishedfor the paper web sheet and is equipped with a light source 31 and asensor 32 such that when the sheet advances to the edge sensor 30 asignal will be generated.

A controller 34 such as a PDP-8 manufactured by Digital EquipmentCorporation, Maynard, Mass. is a computer, commonly referred to as amini-computer because of the limited capacity thereof, and contains allcontrols for the entire photocomposing machine including the necessarycontrol of disc 10, flash tube 12, and letter-by-letter andcharacter-by-character placement of the image on the paper sheetbridging between the advance and retract rolls of the magazine.

The controller 34 also contains logic which will receive the signalgenerated by arrival of the paper sheet web at the edge sensor 30, andwill cause the stepper motor to cease forward advance drive of roll 18.Then, the controller 34 will cause the photocomposing system to expose aseries of characters in a line reestablished length on one portion ofthe paper bridging between the drive and retract roll sets. Aftercomposition of the first line, the controller 34 will cause the steppermotor to advance the drive rolls 18 and 19 a distance known as a leadingdistance whereafter a second line is composed. Line by line a column isthus composed for a given predetermined column length.

At this point this invention differs from standard practice in that.[.piror.]. .Iadd.prior .Iaddend.standard practice has been to continuecomposing in a single column regardless of available paper web width,and thereafter to manually cut and paste the columns in lateralalignment for a finished gallery of multiple columns.

A mathematical formula represents a photocomposition problem ofconsiderable programming difficulty in standard machines. This inventionenables such composition with ease. One word, or even a letter or numbermay be treated as a column. The placement of the formula characters incorrect leading relationship becomes attainable with ease.

According to this invention, the controller, at the end of column 1,will cause stepper motor 21 to reverse. Such reversal will not affectthe drive roll 18 because of the one-way clutch 24, but the reversalwill then allow the roll set 29 to reverse direction under the.[.crive.]. .Iadd.drive .Iaddend.influence of the spring friction clutch28 and reverse the paper back toward a raw film storage box 35. Theconstruction of a normal paper feed magazine is such that there issufficient room between the box 35 and the reverse roll set 29 to allowthe paper to fold harmlessly until re-advanced.

The stepper motor is reversed a distance sufficiently to bring the topof the composed column well below the normal composing position, ratherthan to reverse just to a composing position. Forward advance will againpick up the slack that is in the drive gear construction and hence makepossible a much less costly construction than would be required ifprecision gearing were specified without a backlash tolerance.

When the stepper motor is again advanced, it will proceed to drive thepaper web sheet back to the edge sensor 30 and produce a signal when thepaper edge reaches the sensor 30. The signal is recognized by thecontroller 34 and composition is then connected in a second columnlateral to the first column and with the starting line in exactalignment with the first line of the first column composed.

It has been found that a series of holes or marks along the edge of thepaper web also provides a useful means for control of positionedrelationship, rather than the cut end. It is the use of a usefulreferences feature, not any particular marker, that enables the properleading and reverse leading.

EXAMPLE 3

1. set left margin at an indent value corresponding to beginning of thefirst character in the equation.

2. Lead down 44 points. Set leading reference.

3. Type [R¹ =].

4. reverse leads 26 points from reference.

5. Type [N-1] .

6. lead down 9 points.

7. Type [&1e(p) 1] .

8. Reverse lead 21 points from reference (4 points).

9. Type [2] .

10. Lead down 4 points.

11. Type [ ].

12. Lead down to reference (17 points).

13. Type [= ].

14. Reverse lead 4 points from reference.

15. Type [Zero width][2] .

16. Lead down 6 points.

17. Type [E].

18. reverse lead to reference.

19. Type [2(m-1)+].

20. Reverse lead 4 points from reference.

21. Type [Zero Width][2] .

22. Lead down 6 points.

23. Type [ο].

24. Reverse lead to reference.

25. Type [ ].

26. Reverse lead 4 points from reference.

27. Type [Zero Width][2] .

28. Lead down 6 points.

29. Type [E].

30. reverse lead to reference.

31. Type [+C].

32. lead down 2 points.

33. Type [k].

34. Reverse lead to reference.

35. Type [(m+2)dud][Return].

36. Reverse lead 7 points from reference.

37. Type [No Flash][R'=][Flash][p=ο][Return].

38. Lead down 14 points.

39. Type [No Flash][R'=][Flash][N- 1].

40. lead down 9 points.

41. Type [&1i(s)1&1i(s)1].

42. Reverse lead 4 points (or, reverse lead to reference, lead down 12points).

43. Type [2].

44. Lead down 4 points.

45. Type [ ][Return].

46. Lead down 10 points.

47. Type [No Flash][R'=][Flash][p=ο].

Proceed with remainder of equation.

Where reverse leading is present as in Example 3, characters can beentered in more nearly their normal sequence. Interspersed commands canmove the baseline back and forth as required. The use of a referencebaseline makes it convenient to work with respect to some centralbaseline from which all other dimensions can be determined. Sincerepetitive leading in forward or reverse directions may result in erroraccumulations, returning to a reference baseline will improvetypographic quality and keep baseline deviations to a minimum.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of multi-column composition, comprisingthe steps of:providing a means for detecting a reference feature of apaper sheet advancing along a path and for producing a control signalfrom such reference feature when detected; providing a power-drivenpaper feed means for advancing a photosensitive sheet along said path;advancing a sheet along said path until the reference feature thereof isdetected by said means, and a control signal is generated; applying saidsignal to stop said power-driven paper feed means; composing charactersto produce at least one character in a first column position; thereafterreversing said paper feed to withdraw the paper to a position retractedfrom said means for detecting the desired reference feature; andre-advancing said sheet until another control signal is produced by saidmeans for detecting the reference feature, and, finally, composing asecond at least one character on the same page in a lateral position tothe first character and in a predetermined relationship thereto by arelationship to said reference feature; whereby a multiple column galleyis obtained in registration from a common reference.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said composition takes place in a first column of amultiple number of lines, followed by reverse leading and composition ofa second column wherein said lines are aligned with those of the firstcolumn.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein said composition placement ofthe characters is random but aligned in relationship to a common leadreference.
 4. A multi-column photocomposition machine, comprising:aphotocomposition system including a font of characters and projectionmeans for projecting characters of said font in column lines; apower-driven paper feed means for advancing a photosensitive sheet alonga path defining the image plane of said photocomposition system; meansfor producing and thereafter detecting an established reference featureof a paper sheet advancing along said path and for producing a controlsignal when such feature is detected. a controller for said machine,said controller providing advance feed of paper until a control signalis recorded, and thereafter providing multiple lines of composition in acolumn by repeating character-by-character exposure and line-by-lineleading advance of said paper feed means; whereby, the paper may beretracted and re-advanced repeatedly to be again detected and establisha new column starting line in alignment with a previous line.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein a photosensitive sheet is provided withpreformed features which are detectable to establish a reverse and newadvance leading.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein a photosensitivesheet is provided with a series of features for counting and leadingcontrol.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the reference feature is thelead edge of the paper. .Iadd.
 8. A method of irregular baselinecomposition, comprising the steps of:providing a means for detecting areference feature of a sheet-web advancing along a path and forproducing a control signal from such reference feature when detected;providing a power-driven, sheet-web feed means for advancing aphotosensitive sheet-web along said path; advancing a sheet-web alongsaid path until the reference feature thereof is detected by said feedmeans, and a control signal is generated; applying said signal to stopsaid feed means; composing characters to produce at least one characteron a first column baseline; thereafter reversing said feed means towithdraw the sheet-web to a position retracted from said means fordetecting the desired reference feature; re-advancing said sheet-webuntil another control signal is produced by said means for detecting thereference feature, and; finally, stepping said feed means a leadingdistance equal to the distance of said first column baseline from saidreference feature and further adjusted by a fractional leading distanceto produce subscript and superscript insert positions off the baselineof said composed one character; whereby an irregular baselinecomposition is obtained in registration from a common reference..Iaddend. .Iadd.
 9. An irregular baseline photocomposition machine,comprising: a photocomposition system including a font of characters andprojection means for projecting characters of said font in column lines;a power-driven, sheet-web feed means for advancing a photosensitivesheet-web along a path defining the image plane of said photocompositionsystem; means for detecting an established reference feature of asheet-web advancing along said path and for producing a control signalwhen such feature is detected; a controller for said machine, saidcontroller providing advance feed of the sheet-web until a controlsignal is recorded, and thereafter providing multiple lines ofcomposition in a column by repeating character-by-character exposure andline-by-line leading advance of said feed means; and said controlleralso providing for reverse of said feed means to retract said referencefeature to a position prior to said means for detecting the feature andreadvancing the sheet-web relative to the new detection to a desiredleading offset above or below the baseline of the characters previouslyset; whereby, the sheet-web may be retracted and readvanced repeatedlyto again detect the reference feature and establish a new baseline inaccurate reference to the reference feature. .Iaddend.